High school hockey: University continues winning streak against Gilmour

KENT — Many Clevelanders may be unaware of what the SOM in SOM Center Road stands.
At least at the Kent District, in this battle of neighborhood rivals who reside on that road, it stands for Shades Of Maroon — as in the maroon and black from Hunting Valley.
Evan Krueger and Clarke Jones each had goals in the opening period as University defeated Gilmour, 4-1, in a district semifinal Feb. 24.
The Preppers (27-5-6), who improved to 10-0 against the Lancers since the 2000-01 season, will take on the winner of the Feb. 25 showdown between Lake Catholic and Walsh Jesuit in the Kent District final at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.
“I am very, very pleased with our effort tonight,” US coach Bill Beard said. “I was very nervous before the game, because we were throwing a lot of young kids out there, and I didn’t know how they’d react to the environment, but they did.”
US opened its account at the 4:52 mark of the opening period. Ryan Gorbett latched onto a puck in the neutral zone, skated in and hit Krueger crashing the net from the left circle. Krueger put away a wrister gloveside to make it a 1-0 game.
Closing in on intermission, the Preppers pushed their advantage to 2-0 through a brilliant display of puckhandling by their captain.
Jones, the standout senior blueliner, deked in toward goal and snapped a wrister shortside with 1:13 to go in the period.
“That was huge,” Jones said. “First it started with Krueger’s goal. Getting that first goal, getting ahead of the game, kind of relaxes everyone, puts us in a better position. And putting two on them is big. But two-goal leads are the most dangerous leads in hockey.”
In the second, US peppered Gilmour goaltender Matt Ray, enjoying a 19-6 shots advantage. Ray did well to keep the Lancers (16-21) within striking distance, though, heading into the third.
“Nervous isn’t the right word,” said Beard of not getting anything to show for the second period. “We just had to not get crazy and change anything.”
The Preppers did change one thing early in the third — their cushion. Kyle Keane poked home a rebound look from the left side of the crease just 17 seconds in to push the lead to 3-0. The senior added another rebound tally on a Jones slapshot at 6:05 of the period for the final margin.
“They’re a good team, and they were the better team today, no doubt about that,” Gilmour coach John Malloy said. “We came a long way during the course of the year, with the development of some young players. Just not enough depth.
“I thought our kids gave it every ounce they could and didn’t quit. We needed a couple breaks along the way and didn’t get them. But I give them all the credit, because they got some big goals when they needed to get them. Their big guns came forward.”
US came forward against its neighborhood rival and now moves forward to another shot at the state final four.
“I can’t wait,” Jones said. “District final is always a big game, and we’re going to come ready to play.”